U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern speaks during the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce forum at the Great Wolf Lodge Friday as U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas looks on. At left is moderator Charles St. Amand, editor of the Sentinel & Enterprise. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / JEFF PORTER

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

FITCHBURG -- The congressional delegation for North Central Massachusetts discussed tax reform, health care to provide assistance for the opioid crisis, and banning bump stocks at a Friday luncheon with local business and academic leaders, where pleas for bipartisanship bumped up against criticism of the Republican Party.

U.S. Reps. Niki Tsongas and Jim McGovern, both Democrats, fielded questions prepared by the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce -- which hosted the luncheon at the Great Wolf Lodge -- and submitted by audience members.

McGovern, asked how to increase the number of skilled workers in the manufacturing sector, highlighted the benefits of apprenticeships.

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

He said the public's view of the field should reflect the potential to make a good wages within it.

"We need to make sure that our young people know that manufacturing is a viable livelihood, that you can make a decent living," said McGovern, whose district includes Leominster.

Tsongas, of Lowell, said the North Central Massachusetts manufacturing sector is growing after years of decline. She echoed McGovern on the need for more skilled workers, commending the region's vocational-technical schools.

The business community, Tsongas said, should help employees gain the college education often needed for advancement within companies.

"We really do have a lot of communities where too few people go to college," she said.

Advertisement

President Donald Trump made U.S. manufacturing a key issue during his campaign, said Tsongas, but has not introduced policies encouraging domestic production.

Tsongas introduced an amendment requiring members of Armed Services receive footwear made in the U.S. McGovern said American-made products, like the footwear, are of highest quality available.

"We're not pushing these things about buying American because, you know, we're protectionists, we're doing these things because some of the best products in the world are made in the United States of America," he said.

Placing tighter restrictions on bump stocks, the currently legal device Stephen Paddock used to make over two dozen semi-automatic rifles mimic the firing capabilities of an automatic rifle when he killed 58 people at concert in Las Vegas on Sunday, has gained the support of lawmakers and the National Rifle Association.

But Tsongas said that restriction is not enought to curb rates of gun violence.

"The bump stock is a beginning, and not an end," she said. "We need to do more."

Asked what's becoming of promises by the president to improve aging infrastructure, Tsongas said "the budget that passed yesterday makes a significant cut to infrastructure spending."

The House passed a $4.1 trillion 2018 budget Thursday containing $1.1 trillion in non-entitlement spending and $622 billion on defense.

McGovern said: "we're willing to vote to raise revenues" to repair or replace failing infrastructure. He called for a bipartisan solution, saying some bridges in Massachusetts are older than some states, causing detours and discouraging travel.

"We can't keep on kicking the can down the road," he said "We need to vote to make this investment because it's too important, if you can't get too and from areas, that is bad for business."

Tsongas was critical of the propositions for tax reforms presented by Republicans.

"So far the propositions out there are neither fair or fiscally responsible," said Tsongas.

She said the most recent jobs numbers show that for the first time in seven years the country has lost jobs, about 33,000 of them.

The declining jobs numbers show the economy's fragility as it claws back to pre-recession norms, Tsongas said, and the result of discord at the highest levels of government.

"The disfunction in Washington the inability of those in charge to come together has not added to helping to shore up our economy."

Moderator Charles St. Amand, editor of the Sentinel & Enterprise, asked the representatives how national lawmakers view the opioid crisis.

McGovern said there's "genuine concern on both sides of the political will on both sides of the aisle to reduce rates of addiction, but said funding is lacking.

Tsongas, who sponsored a bill to increase technology capable of screening for the potent opioid fentanyl crossing the southern border with Mexico, said she recently met with constituents and listened to their concerns.

She heard numerous stories detailing how opioids have ripped apart families. "It was one after the other after the other for several hours," she said, adding that the state must invest in long-term care facilities to treat people struggling with addiction.

Both lawmakers recognized a need to improve the Affordable Care Act, and condemned lawmakers for failing to renew funding for federal food assistance.

Asked how the presidency has affected bipartisanship on Capitol Hill, McGovern said political polarization has become worse under the Trump administration.

He said the "extreme wing" of the Republican party has strengthened, and the party has split into distinct groups along ideological lines.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sentinel and Enterprise. So keep it civil.